Tanya Aldred (earlier) and Taha Hashim (later) 

England beat Pakistan by 37 runs in first women’s cricket ODI – as it happened

Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets and Alice Capsey hit 44 as England began their three-match series with a win in Derby
  
  

England’s Lauren Bell (right) lets rip
England’s Lauren Bell (right) lets rip. Photograph: Ed Sykes/Action Images/Reuters

Right then, that’s enough from me, with Raf Nicholson’s report to follow shortly. Go well!

Player of the Match is Sophie Ecclestone, who just cruised through her overs for three wickets, brilliant while still not being at her best. She’s just very, very good. Heather Knight calls her side’s performance “scrappy”, noting the mountain of extras totted up when they were in the field. She wants those starts from the batters to turn into something more substantial, too, with no one reaching fifty today.

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England win by 37 runs!

Pakistan bat through their overs but fall significantly short, their wait for a first ODI win over England continuing. They would have believed when Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz got them to 149-4, but England retained control through their spinners – Sophie Ecclestone finished with three for 26, while Charlie Dean picked up a couple. Lauren Bell and Kate Cross also took two apiece. The hosts have the series lead.

49th over: Pakistan 200-9 (Nashra 2, Najiha 24) The consolation for Pakistan? They’ve got themselves 200.

48th over: Pakistan 198-9 (Nashra 2, Najiha 22) Najiha whips Bell through the leg side for a couple. There’s an lbw shout from Bell but the ball is certainly missing leg stump.

47th over: Pakistan 195-9 (Nashra 2, Najiha 19) Dean nearly has her head taken off with an awkward bounce while fielding at backward point. Five leg-side wides follow as Jones fails to collect off Glenn, and extras are top-scoring for Pakistan with 40. England will win this game, but they’ve been far from their usual selves.

46th over: Pakistan 189-9 (Nashra 2, Najiha 18) Bell is given the ball to target the stumps and finish the show but three singles follow to keep it going.

45th over: Pakistan 186-9 (Nashra 1, Najiha 16) Glenn twirls her way through an over that concedes just one. We’re just waiting for the inevitable now.

44th over: Pakistan 185-9 (Nashra 1, Najiha 15) Najiha shows off a nice flick for one off Cross before a no-ball provides a free hit. Pakistan collect just a bye off it, when they need so much more.

43rd over: Pakistan 179-9 (Nashra 0, Najiha 12) Dean completes her 10 overs, finishing with 2-39 to play her part in England’s spin strangle.

42nd over: Pakistan 178-9 (Nashra 0, Najiha 11) England are just a wicket away. Pakistan, if you still believe, need 66 from 48.

WICKET! Diana c Sciver-Brunt b Cross 9 (Pakistan 178-9)

Diana inside-edges a Cross delivery down to fine leg for four before launching over extra cover for another boundary. But it’s third-time lucky for Cross, with a leading edge from Diana finding Sciver-Brunt at catching midwicket.

41st over: Pakistan 169-8 (Diana 1, Najiha 11) Diana is sent back to the non-striker’s end after trying to run for a single that wasn’t there.

40th over: Pakistan 165-8 (Diana 1, Najiha 7) Cross goes up in appeal for a caught behind – Amy Jones is standing up to the stumps. England opt for a review, with the bowler convinced despite little noise from elsewhere. UltraEdge shows nothing and Diana Baig’s innings continues.

Pakistan need 79 from 60 balls.

WICKET! Umm-e-Hani b Cross 1 (Pakistan 163-8)

Cross rejoins the attack and keeps it simple: straight to knock over the tailender’s off stump.

39th over: Pakistan 163-7 (Umm-e-Hani 1, Najiha 6) Najiha gets on one knee and pummels the ball across the line for four.

Pakistan need 81 from 66 balls.

38th over: Pakistan 158-7 (Umm-e-Hani 0, Najiha 2) Ecclestone, England’s cheat code, finishes with figures of 3-26 from her 10 overs.

Pakistan need 86 from 72 balls.

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37th over: Pakistan 156-7 (Umm-e-Hani 0, Najiha 0) Pakistan have gone from 149-4 to 156-7, their hopes of a first ODI win over England fast fading.

WICKET! Aliya lbw Dean 21 (Pakistan 156-7)

And another one goes. Full from Dean, Aliya tries to sweep but misses. The finger goes up and Pakistan review … but it’s striking leg.

36th over: Pakistan 154-6 (Aliya 19, Najiha 0) A wicket-maiden for Ecclestone – she’s on for more.

Pakistan need 90 from 84 balls.

WICKET! Fatima lbw Ecclestone 5 (Pakistan 154-6)

Ecclestone pins Fatima plumb – the batter reviews but that’s knocking over leg stump. Two quick strikes give England control of this contest.

35th over: Pakistan 154-5 (Fatima 5, Aliya 19) A crunching hit from Fatima Sana through cover brings her four and she gets a single straight after to make it a proactive opening to her knock.

Pakistan need 90 from 90 balls.

WICKET! Dar c Beaumont b Dean 26 (Pakistan 149-5)

Dean gets the ball to skid past Dar outside off before the batter slogs across the line … and finds Beaumont at deep midwicket! Not sure she needed to play that shot just yet and England break a partnership that was ticking along very nicely.

34th over: Pakistan 149-4 (Aliya 19, Dar 26) With Pakistan needing 100, Knight turns to Ecclestone … who begins with a full toss that Dar dispatches through extra cover for four. Another full bunger follows but Dar can’t beat the fielder.

Pakistan need 95 from 96 balls.

33rd over: Pakistan 144-4 (Aliya 19, Dar 21) The required run rate for Pakistan is close to a run a ball and Glenn begins well with four dots … until Aliya cuts hard behind square for four and picks up two to close the over. Pakistan want to make history tonight.

32nd over: Pakistan 138-4 (Aliya 13, Dar 21) A top shot from Aliya, who shows Bell a straight bat down the ground for a boundary. An inside-edge on to her pads follows as England go up, unsuccessfully, for an lbw appeal.

31st over: Pakistan 133-4 (Aliya 8, Dar 21) England go up for a review after Dar fails to make contact with a sweep, taking her eye off the ball after getting down for the shot. I reckon that’s probably clipping leg stump at best … in fact, it’s completely missing. Good call from Sue Redfern.

30th over: Pakistan 129-4 (Aliya 7, Dar 18) A quiet over is made noisy by Aliya hooking a Bell bouncer down to fine leg for four.

29th over: Pakistan 125-4 (Aliya 3, Dar 18) Glenn is a touch too straight as Aliya sweeps around the corner for a couple to get off strike. Aliya nearly chops on to a sliding delivery but just about survives.

28th over: Pakistan 118-4 (Aliya 0, Dar 17) Bell tries to greet Aliya Riaz with a bumper … but sends it wide.

WICKET! Muneeba c Jones b Bell 34 (Pakistan 117-4)

Lauren Bell is back and she troubles Muneeba, going around the wicket to move the ball away from the left-hander, always a tricky angle for the southpaw to negotiate. Muneeba responds by driving square for a couple … but Bell then strikes! It’s another drive but this time the fuller delivery nabs the outside edge, with Jones holding on behind the stumps.

27th over: Pakistan 115-3 (Muneeba 32, Dar 17) There’s a run-out appeal as Knight throws down the stumps at the striker’s end, but Muneeba is comfortably in.

26th over: Pakistan 111-3 (Muneeba 30, Dar 15) Lauren Bell pulls off a decent diving stop at fine leg after Muneeba top-edges Cross. Pakistan are knocking the ball around nicely for singles, rotating enough to surely get England worrying just a bit.

25th over: Pakistan 106-3 (Muneeba 28, Dar 12) A lush drive through extra cover brings Muneeba four off Glenn. A couple of singles follow and Pakistan are finding some rhythm in this partnership.

24th over: Pakistan 100-3 (Muneeba 23, Dar 11) Kate Cross returns for another spell … and the leg-side wide makes a reappearance, forcing the seamer to bowl an eight-ball over. Pakistan reach three figures.

23rd over: Pakistan 95-3 (Muneeba 21, Dar 11) Glenn drops the ball short – like Dean has done a few times – but Pakistan have struggled to turn those deliveries into high-scoring shots. Instead, they settle for three singles in the over.

22nd over: Pakistan 92-3 (Muneeba 19, Dar 10) Muneeba sweeps Ecclestone hard … for one. Dar seizes upon a full toss, driving through extra cover for four.

21st over: Pakistan 87-3 (Muneeba 18, Dar 6) Sarah Glenn’s leggies enter the picture. Nida Dar nails an excellent sweep to find her first boundary of the innings but it’s otherwise tidy from Glenn.

20th over: Pakistan 81-3 (Muneeba 17, Dar 1) England have turned up after drinks, and Ecclestone looks set for a substantial haul.

WICKET! Ayesha b Ecclestone 8 (Pakistan 79-3)

Ecclestone’s toying with her pace, a slow, floated delivery striking Ayesha on the pads before the batter departs next ball! It’s quicker, keeps straight and rattles the poles.

19th over: Pakistan 78-2 (Muneeba 16, Ayesha 8) Another drop! Dean gets a very faint outside edge from Muneeba and Jones fails to hold on after having two goes at it. Dean drops a couple short and wide but Muneeba isn’t able to capitalise properly before Ayesha finds the boundary with a smart slap to fine leg.

18th over: Pakistan 71-2 (Muneeba 14, Ayesha 3) Ecclestone sends a flatter delivery into the pads of Ayesha … the finger doesn’t go up. I reckon it was probably sliding down leg and England agree, not opting for a review. Ecclestone is halfway through her allotment of overs, carrying figures of 1-11.

17th over: Pakistan 68-2 (Muneeba 13, Ayesha 1) Dean runs through her six quickly to nab a maiden.

16th over: Pakistan 68-2 (Muneeba 13, Ayesha 1) Ayesha Zafar enters the game and moves quickly off zero.

WICKET! Sadaf b Ecclestone 28 (Pakistan 67-2)

Ecclestone resumes after the break, with Muneeba immediately getting off strike with a single. Sadaf, who slowed down after a decent start, then tries to go back and cut … but drags on to her stumps. A much-needed wicket for England.

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15th over: Pakistan 66-1 (Sadaf 28, Muneeba 12) Dean drops it short, wide and is lucky that Muneeba can only knock it for one. Dean bowls consecutive leg-side wides before correcting with two tempters outside off that Sadaf can’t get her bat on. Time for drinks. Pakistan will be pleased; England need a wake-up call.

14th over: Pakistan 63-1 (Sadaf 28, Muneeba 12) Ecclestone only goes for one but it really does feel like England haven’t properly shown up with the ball so far. Something’s lacking.

13th over: Pakistan 62-1 (Sadaf 28, Muneeba 10) Dean’s getting a bit more turn than Ecclestone I reckon, and the batters exchange singles before the off-spinner sends the ball down the leg side for five wides. Extras are into the 20s for Pakistan in this innings – England need to sort this out.

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12th over: Pakistan 54-1 (Sadaf 27, Muneeba 8) Ecclestone gives the ball some decent hang-time in the air, trying to lure Sadaf into a mistimed drive. The Pakistan opener survives.

11th over: Pakistan 51-1 (Sadaf 25, Muneeba 7) Charlie Dean begins … with a wide. A nice, dropping delivery outside off follows, with Muneeba punching it for a single. Dean slides in a quicker ball that cramps Muneeba for room, but she just about gets some bat on it to avoid a serious lbw shout.

10th over: Pakistan 47-1 (Sadaf 24, Muneeba 5) In comes England’s trump card, Sophie Ecclestone’s left-arm spin. Heather Knight is in at slip to Muneeba, and there’s a half-hearted lbw shout in that first set, but not a great deal of turn.

9th over: Pakistan 45-1 (Sadaf 24, Muneeba 4) Cross oversteps to add to the burgeoning extras column, granting Muneeba a free hit – she swats to the leg-side for a couple. A wide follows but Cross makes up for that looseness with three dots to close the over.

8th over: Pakistan 40-1 (Sadaf 24, Muneeba 1) Muneeba Ali joins Sadaf in the middle, with Bell up and running.

WICKET! S Ameen c Jones b Bell 2 (Pakistan 37-1)

Ah dear, the ol’ commentator’s curse. Bell goes full, tempts the prod from Ameen and the faint outside edge carries to Jones who, this time round, holds on.

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7th over: Pakistan 37-0 (Sadaf 24, S Ameen 2) Sadaf is leading the way for Pakistan now, reeling off a couple of boundaries to dominate this strong start. England potentially getting a bit nervy?

6th over: Pakistan 27-0 (Sadaf 14, S Ameen 2) And Pakistan strike back after Cross’ economical over, Sadaf hitting her side’s first boundary of the innings.

5th over: Pakistan 21-0 (Sadaf 9, S Ameen 2) Cross quietens things down, finding five dots before Sadaf slashes a wide delivery for just one.

4th over: Pakistan 20-0 (Sadaf 8, S Ameen 2) Plenty of replays to see if Maia Bouchier has stopped a boundary from Sadaf at extra cover … and yes, it’s given three, not four. Bell goes a bit too short with a bumper to Ameen, the ball signalled a wide – England have given away quite a few extras already. And then a drop! Bell gets Ameen to poke outside off and the edge is presented; it should be a regulation grab for Amy Jones behind the stumps … but she doesn’t hold on moving to her right.

3rd over: Pakistan 16-0 (Sadaf 5, S Ameen 2) Cross is too straight as Ameen gets the ball to run down the leg-side for four leg byes. The response from the seamer is a leaping outswinger that isn’t far off nabbing the outside edge. But this is a tidy start for Pakistan, with Cross failing to nail her lines consistently.

2nd over: Pakistan 9-0 (Sadaf 5, S Ameen 0) Lauren Bell gets some serious hoop with her first ball … but sends it down the leg-side. The inswinger slaps the pads of Sadaf next ball before another wide follows – Bell’s still learning how to control her powers. Sadaf jams out a fuller delivery before punching nicely through point for a couple. Another authoritative backfoot punch brings Sadaf two at the end of the over.

1st over: Pakistan 3-0 (Sadaf 1, S Ameen 0) Kate Cross takes the new ball with two slips waiting. Sadaf Shamas is off the mark with her second delivery, picking up a single at backward point. Sidra Ameen is her opening partner, and she blocks out a few before picking up two leg-byes to close the over. Not a great deal of early movement for Cross.

The players are making their way out for the restart. A big fan of Pakistan rocking Pepsi on the front and Dairy Milk on the back: a champion uni-student breakfast.

Afternoon everyone! Lovely to be on my first OBO in some time – the summer is here (even if it doesn’t look it in Derby). Can Pakistan beat England for the first time in an ODI? The visitors have been on the receiving end of some shellackings, as this list tells us – at the very least, we look like we’re on for a tight contest in this second innings.

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Time for me to drink a cup of tea – Taha is in position to carry you through the Pakistan chase. Bye!

A decent enough score, and one that will surely be too much for Pakistan – whose record in ODIs against England is 209 – but England didn’t get away, and didn’t, until Charlie Dean came in, show too much imagination. But, it’s a learning curve, for many of these players ODI cricket is out of their comfort zone.

Alice Capsey has been wheeled out in the break “We’ve spoken a lot over the last 12 months about my tempo in ODI cricket. Was pleased with how I went about it, pretty low risk. Happy to get some runs. In T20 I’m comfortable, but I haven’t played that much 50-over cricket. You’ve got to adapt your game a lot more and that’s what I was happy with.”

50th over: England 243-9 (Glenn 16, Bell 1) From the sublime to the comic, some fabulous tag-fielding in the deep stops four, then Bell is dropped on the run by Fatima. England can only manage one off the last three balls – and, though England probably have more than enough, Pakistan look the chirpier side walking off the field at the innings break.

49th over: England 236-9 (Glenn 10, Bell 0) Umm-e-Hani with the penultimate over, and duly dots the i. Cross going for big runs but can’t get enough length on the shot.

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WICKET! Cross c Nashra b Umm-e-Hani 6 (England 236-9

Aiming for the skies, goes high, but not long, and Nashra just has to wait for the ball to fall into her hands.

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48th over: England 233-8 (Glenn 8, Cross 5) Cross brings instant energy, with four cracked down the ground.

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WICKET! Dean b Dar 20 (England 227-8)

Dar again! Dean swipes, as if aiming to clear the table with one sweep of the arm, misses and is bowled. We wait for a minute for the third umpire to check the bails weren’t removed by the keeper’s gloves. They weren’t – and off Dean must trot after an innovative little cameo.

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47th over: England 227-7 ( Dean 20, Glenn 7) Umm-e-Hani, a slight figure, in sunglasses and an Alice band. Glenn cuts for a couple, but four dots in a tidy over.

46th over: England 224-7 ( Dean 19, Glenn 5) A thick-edge helps Glenn off the mark, three leg byes then a sweep – all adds up to ten from the over. Four left – can England reach 250?

WICKET! Ecclestone c Sadaf b Dar 1 (England 218-7)

No time to get her eye in as it turns out, Ecclestone tries to charge Dar but only manages to chip the ball straight to Sadaf who catches falling onto her knees at long-on.

45th over: England 218-6 ( Dean 18, Ecclestone 1) Just a couple off the over, as Ecclestone settles into the Derby crease.

WICKET! Capsey c and b Nashra 44 (England 216-6)

44th over: England 216-6 ( Dean 17) Dean again the fizzing catalyst, scoops behind for a couple. Capsey tries too, but just scoops into the keeper’s pad, though then reaches the rope with a rhythmic reverse sweep to pocket her highest score in ODI cricket. But, the very next ball, she clops the ball straight back into leaping reach of the bowler. Capsey drops her head in annoyance.

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43rd over: England 209-5 ( Capsey 40, Dean 14) A boundary! Two! As Dean sweeps Dar and then cuts fiercely. Suddenly some gumption as Dean orchestrates a quick single as well.

42nd over: England 197-5 ( Capsey 37, Dean 5) The sun is suddenly out in Derby, what looked like a sludge green outfield is now all lime and alive. Nashra again – and just the single from it. No-one has yet hit the touchpaper, despite the fact there hasn’t been a single maiden.

41st over: England 196-5 ( Capsey 36, Dean 5) Capsey reviews an lbw decision that looks very out, tossed up by Dar, and hitting the front pad, but ball tracking laughs in the face of the human eye. Dean picks up a couple from a neat little paddle.

40th over: England 193-5 ( Capsey 35, Dean 3) Four singles off Ayesha, with a wide thrown in to spice things up.

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39th over: England 188-5 ( Capsey 33, Dean 1) Dar makes the breakthrough, and it is the in-form Jones. Dean and Capsey have a good laugh together in the middle.

WICKET! Jones c Ayesha b Dar 37 (England 185-5)

A juicy come-and-get-me, Jones top-edges a slog-sweep, which falls straight into the hands of Ayesha, who jogs in to collect.

38th over: England 184-4 ( Capsey 31, Jones 37) Ayesha falls the wrong side of the wide mark twice in the over. Capsey can’t make the most of the a couple of pies.

37th over: England 181-4 ( Capsey 30, Jones 36) Jones shovels Fatima over long on but Dar saves the boundary. Jones picks her out again later in the over. England have a toasty platform here to go free form in last ten.

36th over: England 171-4 ( Capsey 28, Jones 31) Ayesha Zafar driting wide and England can pick up three singles.

35th over: England 171-4 ( Capsey 26, Jones 30) Jones flambes a Fatima full toss for four. Two balls later she drives, more gently, but with perfect timing, tantalising the chasing fielder almost all the way to the rope. Super stop though. The Fifty partnership between Capsey and Jones comes up off 52 balls.

34th over: England 161-4 ( Capsey 25, Jones 22) Time for some overs from Ayesha. Slow, very slow. Capsey working hard, cuts/edges very late just past the gloves of Najiha.

A nice stat on Tammy Beaumont:

Drinks and handwarmers all round.

33rd over: England 155-4 ( Capsey 20, Jones 20) Jones again, chips Umm-e-Hani for a lofted drive over the field, and over the rope. Some wonderful co-ordinated four signalling from a well-wrapped group in the crowd. Some speedy running brings two and that’s seven off the over without too much effort.

32nd over: England 148-4 ( Capsey 19, Jones 14) Jones goes for the high and handsome slog sweep and picks up four.

31st over: England 140-4 ( Capsey 17, Jones 8) Four from Umm-e-Hani’s over.

30th over: England 137-4 ( Capsey 16, Jones 6) Something has clicked for Capsey, Aliya’s first ball is sent fizzing through the covers for four. Another kissable drive follows. Enid Bakewell appears on the balcony, sprightly as ever, waving and signalling four. She picked up a back-dated cricketer of the year award at the Wisden dinner in April.

29th over: England 123-4 ( Capsey 7, Jones 5) More careful accumulation off Nashra. Pakistan very alert in the field –got a good chance to keep England in sight here.

28th over: England 123-4 ( Capsey 6, Jones 2) England’s players watching from the boundaries in hoodies and drinking coffee as, on the pitch, Pakistan keeping everything in check.

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27th over: England 121-4 ( Capsey 5, Jones 1) Nashra Sandhu, flight and guile. England struggling to hit big-hitting mode.

26th over: England 118-4 ( Capsey 3, Jones 0) Pakistan pressure telling.

WICKET! Sciver-Brunt c Najiha Alvi b Aliya Riyaz 31 (England -3)

The big one! The Najiha-Alyia duo strikes again. NSB’s eyes widen, she goes to lift Aliya up and over, kisses an edge and into the gloves. Najiha appeals for the stumping too, but Redfern’s finger is up for the catch.

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25th over: England 117-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 31, Capsey 2 ) Dar’s fifth over. NSB looking to hit hard, but can’t pierce the field – until the fifth ball, when she leans back and shovels Dar through the onside. And again, almost identical, to the last.

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24th over: England 108-3 ( Sciver-Brunt 23, Capsey 1 ) Just one run – and one wicket – from the over. Another good stop by Diana on the circle.

WICKET! Knight c Najiha Alvi b Aliya Riaz 29 (England 107-3)

A short wide one from Aliya Riaz, drifts slightly away, Knight’s eyes light up and she cuts – but only into the waiting gloves.

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23rd over: England 107-2 (Knight 29, Sciver-Brunt 23) England content to play tip and run with Dar, bowling in a thick black headband. A slow outfield.

22nd over: England 101-2 (Knight 27, Sciver-Brunt 19) Aliya Riaz walks back to her mark, muttering nothings, sweet or otherwise. Three singles and a wide. A cold ripple of applause as England bring up the hundred.

21st over: England 97-2 (Knight 26, Sciver-Brunt 17) Dar, two fingers bandaged, wheels in. Round the ground, spectators sit, huddled in coats. Five singles, England just starting to put their foot down.

20th over: England 92-2 (Knight 24, Sciver-Brunt 14) Four turned round the corner by Knight off Aliya Riaz. Six from the over.

19th over: England 86-2 (Knight 19, Sciver-Brunt 13) Knight and NSB liberally employing the sweep, but unable to beat the fielder on the rope. Arghgh – and there’s another sweep from Knight, firm and straight, but dropped at midwicket. Knight earns her second life. Bowler Dar inscrutable under her shades.

18th over: England 83-2 (Knight 17, Sciver-Brunt 12) Umm-e-Hani’s fifth over. NSB drives, with style, through extra-cover for four. Gorgeous.

17th over: England 76-2 (Knight 15, Sciver-Brunt 7) Time for some Dar, short hair, shades – a green pocket rocket. Knight sweeps, nicely, but picks out the fielder on the rope.

16th over: England 73-2 (Knight 13, Sciver-Brunt 6) Knight playing pierce the field, finally breaks the shackles, drilling Umm-e-Hani through the covers for four.

15th over: England 68-2 (Knight 8, Sciver-Brunt 6) Nashra contines. Softly, softly, catchee monkey. A single here, a single there. And it is time for DRINKS. (Hot tea I hope)

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14th over: England 66-2 (Knight 7, Sciver-Brunt 5) Umm-e-Hani, in shades, must now bowl to NSB. She’s off the mark with four, stroked through the off side. NSB averages 80 against Pakistan, with a strike rate of an eyebrow raising 138.

WICKET! Beaumont lbw Umm-e-Hani 33 (England 61-2)

Beaumont reviews Sue Redfern’s raised finger – bold – but ball tracking proves Sue absolutely right. Sweeps, misses and ball goes on with the arm hitting the pad.

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13th over: England 61-1 (Beaumont 33, Knight 7) Nashra, bowling in her cap, wily. A single to each batter.

12th over: England 59-1 (Beaumont 32, Knight 6) Beautiful lush trees surround Derby, watching as Knight sweeps a single. Beaumont plays and misses off the last ball of Umm-e-Hani’s over and grimaces in frustration. India cleverly whizzing through the overs here.

11th over: England 56-1 (Beaumont 31, Knight 4) Four gentle singles off Nashra’s over.

10th over: England 52-1 (Beaumont 29, Knight 2) Umm-e-Gani is summoned straight from her faux pas, to the bowler’s end. Beaumont sweeps four. End of the power play.

9th over: England 47-1 (Beaumont 24, Knight 2) Should have been a two-wicket over, but as Knight tries to go big, Umm-e-Gani gets in a terrible tangle in the deep and completely misjudges both her own feet and the balls trajectory.

WICKET! Bouchier lbw Nashra 17 (England 45-1)

Huge enthusiasm from Najiha Alvi behind the stumps, and the umpire Cotton agrees. A full ball from Nashra, keeps low and bumps into the back pad.

8th over: England 44-0 (Beaumont 23, Bouchier 17) For the first time a loose bit of fielding costs Pakistan a single. Then Bouchier goes up and over to a Diana half volley, beautifully languid, for one bounce over the rope. Another four follows, powered straight down the ground, over the head of Beaumont, who drops to the dirt to save herself. Diana cuffs the grass in frustration.

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7th over: England 34-0 (Beaumont 22, Bouchier 8) Beaumont takes a risk… and gets away with it – just! Frustrated by being hemmed in, she steps down the pitch and pummels Fatima away for four, a fraction over the head of the leaping Dar at mid on. Two more fours follow in the over – on through mid-off, another hoiking pull.

6th over: England 21-0 (Beaumont 10, Bouchier 8) Diana Baig runs in through the grey. More gentle accumulation, and a wide goes into the bucket. On the balcony, Knight watches in a sweatshirt and what looks like a poncho but could be a big blanket.

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5th over: England 17-0 (Beaumont 9, Bouchier 6) Fatima again, the outfield very green, cut in diamond shapes. Another super stop from Diana Baig on the edge of the circle prevents a boundary. Just a couple from Fatima’s over – England haven’t hit free-flowing mode as yet.

4th over: England 15-0 (Beaumont 8, Bouchier 5) Diana throws a wide and five dots into the mix, Bouchier eyes up the fifth (legal) ball and ushes it through backward point – the fielders just beat it on the long journey down to the rope.

3rd over: England 11-0 (Beaumont 8, Bouchier 2) A first boundary, a typically Beaumontesque slam through the covers – to make her the leading scorer in women’s ODIs in England, going above Sarah Taylor.

2nd over: England 6-0 (Beaumont 4, Bouchier 1) Diana Baig with the second over – such a lovely, easy run-up. It turns out she has also played football for Pakistan. Beaumont drives nicely, but the ball is cut off by the fielder’s knee.

If you’re watching, from home or under 25 rugs in Derby, do drop me a line with your thoughts.

1st over: England 2-0 (Beaumont 1, Bouchier 0) Fatima Sana takes the new ball, the faint sheen of suncream over her cheeks. A loosener to start with, then on the money, a wide and a single.

Great to see Maia Bouchier standing up for the climate by joining EcoAthletes.

Nida Dar has her arms firmly folded and looks as if she’s wearing three layers under her green jersey. Tammy Beaumont and Maia Bouchier stride on in England’s turquoise ODI shirts. Tammy short and tucked in, Maia tall and tucked out.

Pakistan XI

Pakistan: Sidra Ameen, Sadaf Shamas, Muneeba Ali, Ayesha Zafar, Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Najiha Alvi (wk), Umm-e-Hani, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu

England XI

England Maia Bouchier, Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight (c), Nat Scivr-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Amy Jones (wk), Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Kate Cross, Lauren Bell.

Pitch watch

“The amount of rain we had last night – it was underwater,” says Dominic Cork.He disagrees with Nida Dar’s assessment of the pitch – says there will be some carry. Says he has been watching the Pakistani bowlers in practise, and they are bowling too full.

Floodlights, screaming cross wind.

Weather watch

It looks absolutely freezing. Puffa jackets not suncream. A brisk, brisk, wind. 12 degrees.

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Pakistan win the toss and will bowl!

“It looks like a slower wicket and outfield,” says Nida Dar. “We take a lot of positives from the T20 series, play to our strengths and Inshallah things will go well. It is very important for us [to win] for qualifying [for the 2025 World Cup] to try and win.”

Heather Knight says she’d have bowled as well. England are holding on to their three spin attack, alongside Kate Cross and Lauren Bell. NSB still not bowling as she recovers from her

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Preamble

Hello! As the T20 series rolls out, so the one-day series rolls in – a three match extravaganza held at Derby, Taunton and Chelmsford. England are clear favourites – Heather Knight hoping England can continue to win “ruthlessly” – after their 3-0 whitewash in the shorter form . Pakistan, though, improved through the T20 series, and if only they’d been able to hold onto their catches in that third game, things might have been a lot more interesting.

England didn’t play a huge amount of ODI cricket last year, but won the series they did play, as they did in New Zealand in the spring. Tammy Beaumont and Kate Cross join the squad for the 50-over games, bringing their vast experience and skill set. The toss follows shortly, play starts at 1pm.

 

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